SAWP Job Categories – Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program
To apply for a work permit under the Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program (SAWP), your job category must fall under an acceptable National Occupational Classification (NOC) category. Your job must also be primarily in agriculture and meet the following criteria:
- You need to work inside a greenhouse or nursery or a farm
- Your job must include at least one of the following duties:
- handling animals other than fish including but not limited to taking care of their breeding, tending, boarding, and sanitation! Of course, the final outcome will be raw animal products.
- dealing with those raw products in the form of assessing them, collecting them, etc.
- operating farm equipment
- taking care of trees, crops, sod or other plants by planting them, preparing them, harvesting them, etc.
- As mentioned earlier working under one of the acceptable NOC categories
Job categories under the SAWP
The following table shows acceptable job categories under the Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program (SAWP). I have taken the descriptions verbatim from the NOC 2016 website. Nonetheless, you may click the NOC codes to view the official website for more information:
| Job Category | Description |
| 0821 – Managers in agriculture | Managers in agriculture plan, organize, direct, control and evaluate the operations and functions of farms. They are responsible for growing crops, raising and breeding livestock, poultry and other animals and marketing farm products. They usually own and operate their own establishment. |
| 0822 – Managers in horticulture | Managers in horticulture plan, organize, direct and control the activities of nursery and greenhouse staff who grow and market trees, shrubs, flowers and plants. |
| 8252 – Agricultural service contractors, farm supervisors and specialized livestock workers | Agricultural service contractors provide agricultural services such as livestock and poultry breeding, soil preparation, crop planting, crop spraying, cultivating or harvesting. Farm supervisors supervise the work of general farm workers and harvesting labourers. Specialized livestock workers carry out feeding, health and breeding programs on dairy, beef, sheep, poultry, swine and other livestock farms. Contractors may be self-employed. |
| 8255 – Contractors and supervisors, landscaping, grounds maintenance and horticulture services | Contractors and supervisors, landscaping, grounds maintenance and horticulture services supervise and co-ordinate the activities of workers in the following unit groups: Nursery and greenhouse workers (8432) and Landscaping and grounds maintenance labourers (8612). They are employed by landscaping companies, cemeteries, lawn care and tree service companies, nurseries and greenhouses and by landscaping operations of public works departments and private establishments. Contractors may be self-employed. |
| 8431 – General farm-workers | General farm workers plant, cultivate and harvest crops, raise livestock and poultry and maintain and repair farm equipment and buildings. This unit group includes operators of farm machinery. They are employed on crop, livestock, fruit, vegetable and specialty farms. |
| 8432 – Nursery and greenhouse workers | Nursery and greenhouse workers plant, cultivate and harvest trees, shrubs, flowers and plants, and serve nursery and greenhouse customers. They are employed in indoor and outdoor nurseries and greenhouses. |
| 8611 – Harvesting labourers | Harvesting labourers assist other farm workers to harvest, sort and pack crops. |
Salaries and more about the SAWP
To learn more about the SAWP, read the following articles, or contact us:
- SAWP Participating Countries – Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program
- Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program – SAWP Canada
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Al Parsai, MA, DTM, RCIC
Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant
Ashton College Instructor – Immigration Consulting
Author – 88 Tips on Immigration to Canada
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